IEM suggestions under $100 - SE215's and KZ

[J.Wolf]

I am overwhelmed. Spent too much time reading about all of the options from guys like KZ, and TFZ, and the more common stuff like Shure SE215.

I am currently using a pair of KZ ZS7's with comply foam tips and I dont hate it. But would like to step up a bit without getting too much above $100.

It seems like the foam tips are a rock solid upgrade for fit, seal and comfort. Upgrading the cabling I dunno, some people swear by it.

Seems like the SE215 pro's are industry standard, but I wonder if the low end and soundstage is really worth the $100. I like the wideness and hi fi separation I am getting from the KZ sound, which is deeper and brighter. That said I really want what is gonna work best on stage and perform the best. I'm mixing an 11 pc band on iOS, with a rig behind me as well.

Any suggestions?

 

[s0c9]

Why would you want to downgrade to SE215's?
Your ZS7's have 4 BA's (drivers) per ear while the SE215's have one dynamic driver.
I'd stick w/ the KZ's.
Unless you upgrade to the ZÁS set, there's not too many choices within your budget that are going to make you go "WOW" compared to the ZS7.

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

I use the CCA 12

 

[J.Wolf]

Why would you want to downgrade to SE215's?
Your ZS7's have 4 BA's (drivers) per ear while the SE215's have one dynamic driver.
I'd stick w/ the KZ's.
Unless you upgrade to the ZÁS set, there's not too many choices within your budget that are going to make you go "WOW" compared to the ZS7.

I don't think the number of drivers directly corresponds to the quality of the performance but I take your point. There are just a number of other factors that go into how well an iem works

 

[J.Wolf]

Why would you want to downgrade to SE215's?
Your ZS7's have 4 BA's (drivers) per ear while the SE215's have one dynamic driver.
I'd stick w/ the KZ's.
Unless you upgrade to the ZÁS set, there's not too many choices within your budget that are going to make you go "WOW" compared to the ZS7.

along the KZ line, any suggestions particularly for a bass player? zs10 pro?

 

[juggahnaught]

I have a pair of Shure 425s - more expensive than the 215s as they are dual-driver - and they're good. However, I just (today) received a pair of KZ-ZS10 Pros that I ordered from Amazon yesterday, for a little more than $50. I haven't done a side-by-side comparison, but I'm really surprised at the build quality compared to the Shures; the housing is metal instead of plastic, and they feel heavy and well-built. The stock earbuds seem to work really well with my ears, which is a surprise (none of them seal correctly; I had to use the flahges with the Shures) and the sound quality is very good, to my ears. There's also good low end. They'd probably be evem better with custom molds. I would say they are comparable to, or possibly better than, my Shure 425s (although I need to do an apples-to-apples with the same buds across the board).

The Shures do come with a tiny carrying case that I like a lot - they keep the buds safe and I can toss into a gig bag. The KZs did not come with anything like this, unfortunately. However, the box itself has molded foam to hold the earpieces, which could work well as long as the earpieces are unplugged.

For the price point, based on my experience so far, I would buy two of these KZs and be done with it. I'm thinking that I might buy another pair myself since the price point is so good compared to the Shures. I'm pleased with my purchase, just listening from the headphone port from my Mac Mini, and I think it'd be a good direction for you to go. Hope this helps.

 

[musicman7722]

The Z10's are quite good. I have a pair as well.

 

[s0c9]

I don't think the number of drivers directly corresponds to the quality of the performance but I take your point. There are just a number of other factors that go into how well an iem works

I'm sure there a correlation coefficient somewhere in there, lol!
IMHO - It makes a HUGE difference.
Think of a PA speaker with only one driver - a la SE215 - would sound. The entire audio spectrum is produced thru that one driver! Mechanical efficiency is limited and you won't hear everything, because the driver covers the entire spectrum!
Now take a PA speaker with FOUR drivers. Crossed over appropriately each driver will produce ONLY the assigned segment of the audio spectrum making them much more efficient. You can hear the audio that much better.
Less ear fatigue also.
Yes, I've had plenty of exposure to SE215's and other single driver buds..
And others with multiple driver.. including 4 and 8 drivers.
The 8-driver bud blows away the SE215.
YMMV

 

[BCRich100]

Another vote for the CCA C12. I've been using those for a few months now in practice and just took them live a few times in January. They are great. They totally handle the bass frequency and everything else without any issues. They are right at $50 and well worth it.

 

[furym]

along the KZ line, any suggestions particularly for a bass player? zs10 pro?

Those are the bass player's IEM in the KZ line. For bass you want something with a dynamic driver along with the BAs. The dynamic driver will actually move a little air and helps with the bass feel. I never liked the Sure SE215s for bass. Those are what our church had for everyone.

 

[pglaser01]

I've played SE215s, Westone UM30 SE425, and now KZ10s.

KZs10's all day. Better separation, balanced sound. My only (very slight!) drawback was their profile. They stick out just a bit further.

 

[Shorelinegold]

CCA-C10

$40.99 on Amazon Prime right now. Remarkable value and fit.

AmazonSmile: CCA C10 Five Drivers Hybrid in Ear Monitors in Each Side，HiFi 4BA 1DD High Resolution Earphones/Earbuds with 3.5mm Gold Plated Plug Detachable Cable 2pin 0.75mm Wired Earbuds(Black Without mic) : Electronics

 

[ChickWithaRic]

I've been pleasantly surprised with CCA CA4s.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

At that price point? KZ every day and twice on Sundays. I have KZ AS10s and they're miles better than the se215. The stock tips are rubbish but they're easily replaced.

 

[el murdoque]

I'm sure there a correlation coefficient somewhere in there, lol!
IMHO - It makes a HUGE difference.
Think of a PA speaker with only one driver - a la SE215 - would sound. The entire audio spectrum is produced thru that one driver! Mechanical efficiency is limited and you won't hear everything, because the driver covers the entire spectrum!
Now take a PA speaker with FOUR drivers. Crossed over appropriately each driver will produce ONLY the assigned segment of the audio spectrum making them much more efficient. You can hear the audio that much better.
Less ear fatigue also.
Yes, I've had plenty of exposure to SE215's and other single driver buds..
And others with multiple driver.. including 4 and 8 drivers.
The 8-driver bud blows away the SE215.
YMMV

Last time I checked, PA speakers and headphones were something different, though.
When you look at the high end headphone market for over ears, you have single driver models. Take the Sennheiser HE-1. I don't think you can have better specs than that. They boast 8Hz to over 100kHz. With a single driver.

Over ear headphones are not IEM's either, though.

The problem with multiple drivers is to mask the crossovers so well that you can't make them out - that's where a single driver has an advantage.

 

[J.Wolf]

thanks for all this info guys. Plenty to think about. Since I am already pretty pleased with the ZS7's and the bulk factor doesnt bother me at all (they stay put with comply foam tips in), I'm gonna try the ZS10 pro.

Hoping to upgrade to some custom molded IEM's this year, if the band keeps up. I had gotten molds done just before the pandemic hit, and had a set on order from a local guy who uses the same components as the $1000 Westones but sells them for $500. His 3d printer went down and things got delayed, then covid hit and I just paused the whole thing. Kinda bummed it didnt work out at the time, but glad to not have $500 tied up in stage IEM's with almost no use for them over the last 2 years.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I am overwhelmed. Spent too much time reading about all of the options from guys like KZ, and TFZ, and the more common stuff like Shure SE215.

I am currently using a pair of KZ ZS7's with comply foam tips and I dont hate it. But would like to step up a bit without getting too much above $100.

It seems like the foam tips are a rock solid upgrade for fit, seal and comfort. Upgrading the cabling I dunno, some people swear by it.

Seems like the SE215 pro's are industry standard, but I wonder if the low end and soundstage is really worth the $100. I like the wideness and hi fi separation I am getting from the KZ sound, which is deeper and brighter. That said I really want what is gonna work best on stage and perform the best. I'm mixing an 11 pc band on iOS, with a rig behind me as well.

Any suggestions?

I use SE215 for a number of applications. The key for good bass response with them is a good seal. As for the treble/brightness issue, definitely not as refined as the multi driver type, but I'm a bassist playing a gig. I don't need to hear a lot of top end, and it's pretty rare when playing with amps what you hear band wise is in high fidelity.

For the record, I tried a pair of triple driver Shure buds and while I found they were great for listening to music, in a band there was not so much of a difference to justify $300+ extra.

One other thing, call Shure and get a rep on the line. I spent about 40 minutes with one discussing ear buds, hearing issues, and potentially damaging your ears. It was extremely informative. As explained, there is no adjusting the balance of the drivers, and in order to get a good bass response in a live setting sometimes, based on the sound isolation capabilities of the buds, you may tend to turn them up louder to the point you are damaging your ears. He recommended the SE215 for gigging. Just about any other application multi drivers are the way to go.

 

[SLO Surfer]

along the KZ line, any suggestions particularly for a bass player? zs10 pro?

I chose the AS10's because they were told to have a flatter response and am totally happy. Tried them against the Shure SE215 and the KZ blew them away.

I would recommend you get newer molds done for your custom IEM at the time you are ready to order. Our ears keep growing/changing slightly throughout life. Better to use the most up do date impression you can, especially after two years of masks pulling on our ears. My Custom IEM are just four years old and my left ear is starting to unseal ever so slightly. My drummer's are 10 years old and don't seal at all anymore.

 

[J.Wolf]

I chose the AS10's because they were told to have a flatter response and am totally happy. Tried them against the Shure SE215 and the KZ blew them away.

I would recommend you get newer molds done for your custom IEM at the time you are ready to order. Our ears keep growing/changing slightly throughout life. Better to use the most up do date impression you can, especially after two years of masks pulling on our ears. My Custom IEM are just four years old and my left ear is starting to unseal ever so slightly. My drummer's are 10 years old and don't seal at all anymore.

That's good advice, thanks

 

[FronTowardEnemy]

I use these https://www.amazon.com/KZ-ZS10-Lins..._rd_i=B07QKYTGH9&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_30_sc
With these
https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-TRIP..._rd_i=B07SS9S4DQ&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_44_sc
Along with these that I made for custom IEM molds, and I couldn't be happier. Been using IEM off and on for 15 years and this is the best setup I have ever had.
https://www.amazon.com/Radians-Cust..._rd_i=B0006GWRJK&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_22_sc
All around $100!